The right way to serve revenge as a hot dish
by delos13
Summary: Hephaistion was a great diplomat but he had a counterpart in the Persian Empire. So, when both of them colluded the result was quite spectacular. Literally.


A/N: The story below is my traditional October contribution to the memory of Hephaistion. I am not very good at emotional things, so I decided instead to give due to his diplomatic abilities. I hope you enjoy the reading and let me know what you think. I am waiting impatiently for your comments that are sincerely appreciated.

O

Unlike many other impressively walled cities that Hephaistion saw in his life, Thapsacus didn't give an impression of arrogance and superiority but more of self indulgence and knowing its worth. When Alexander sent him on the assignment to bridge Euphrates and make the crossing of the river possible by the time the main troops will arrive, the only thing he knew about Thapsacus that it was the city where Cyros the Younger at last revealed to his generals that they would be marching to Babylon to overthrow his brother king Artaxerxes.

By the time he arrived at Thapsacus Hephaistion learnt from the local guides the rich history of the city that existed long before the Troy war started. It went from the hands of one conqueror to another's but all of them wisely decided to preserve the city due to its convenient location and agreeable nature of its citizens who preferred getting rich on trade to all other pastimes.

Their strategy over the ages was simple. In the periods of peace they traded in timber, collected high fees for the crossing of Euphrates and using their city as a stop over point. In the times of unrest they stopped all trade and quietly waited for the invaders who either didn't bother with the city (on rare occasions) or came by and demanded cooperation. And the citizens of Thapsacus were always happy to oblige. They lamented at the poor treatment of their former masters, gave prayers to the success on the new ones and with sad faces informed the would-be conquerors that their ferrying business was in decline due to the lack of….. and then followed a long list of what was necessary in order to resume. The invaders, being aware of the fact that the place was one of the most convenient and often used Euphrates' crossings and wanting to get to the other side, usually decided it was more wise to use local know-how than to re-invent the wheel, and grudgingly complied with citizens' requests.

The scenario repeated itself with small alterations over the ages and Thapsacussians honed their extortion scheme to the perfection. Hephaistion first witnessed the object lesson of this policy listening to complains and lamentations of Arimmas, Alexander's appointee as a governor of Mesopotamian Syria. Following king's orders he was supposed to collect and store grain, feed corps and other supplies necessary for the army's advance beyond the Euphrates.

Arimmas failed miserably at his task though not due to any malice or lack of trying. What fodder he managed to collect was either of bad quality or perished during the transportation. Arimmas' tearfully retold Hephaistion about his failed attempts in dealing with local dignitaries, their lack of support, outward double-crossing, cheating and almost open ridicule.

"The inhabitants of the Thapsacus are the worst," Arimmas confided in Hephaistion, vehemently swearing to the general that they were the regular oath-breakers and most dishonest traders he ever met. "They alienated all the neighbouring cities, they openly took advantage of Alexander's policy not to harm those who peacefully surrender. They pretended they wanted to help but left me all the time empty handed. And I am sure they secretly conspire with Mazaeus, the local satrap. You know, he was instructed by Darius to impede Alexander's progress. I am sure that Archush, Thapsacus governor, is in cahoots with him. Mazaeus forces are on the opposite shore of Euphrates, I am sure he intends to throw sand in our wheels. He will destroy the bridge that you intend to erect across the river, or even worse, he'll never allow you to complete one. What are we going to do, Hephaistion? What are we going to do?"

Arimmas continued with his wailing about all the obstacles ahead though not forgetting at the same time to ask Hephaistion's intervention with Alexander about his failure. Arimmas could be severely punished for his lack of success but what was the point? He was simply the wrong man for this task and his failure was partially Alexander's too because the king judged his abilities wrongly.

"Let's hope that Alexander didn't make the same mistake about mine," thought Hephaistion while pondering how better to approach many tasks that lay ahead based on this new information.

True to their reputation, the inhabitants of Thapsacus threw their gates open to the troops that Hephaistion brought with him. Despite moderately lavish feast that the governor Archush arranged to celebrate the occasion of entertaining such an honourable guest, the journey across the city didn't impress Hephaistion. If there were any riches, they were well hidden; so well indeed that it was quite difficult to imagine that the city prospered in the last decades.

The governor was an amicable man who on the surface wished nothing else but to satisfy any possible desire of his very high placed guest.

"But what can I do?" lamented Archush in a manner that vividly remaindered Hephaistion of Arimmas'. Hephaistion listened in half ear to the long list of unfortunate circumstances that the translator dutifully repeated in a rather monotonous voice. Unlike many of his comrades who were bored to death during the negotiations with locals being forced to spend twice more time due to the lack of common language, Hephaistion developed the habit of watching the body language of his counterpart and listening to the intonations of the voice. Rather often, knowing that his words were not understood by the intended recipient of the speech, the person unintentionally betrayed his true emotions and feelings by his tone and mimics.

Hephaistion decided to play his own game. He sympathized with Archush, with his sincere desire to keep the inhabitants of his city safe, with an obviously daunting task of providing the help to Alexander while being watched from the other bank of the river by Mazaeus, whose master, Darius, was still a rightful king of Persia and was rumoured to amass a huge army to battle the Macedonian conqueror.

The game continued for several days during which Hephaistion was entertained by the governor. His troops quartered mostly outside of the city but had an unlimited access inside the walls. The general gave those under his command the strictest order not to indulge in any kind of loot and use the time for rest, training and familiarizing themselves with the environment. The selected group of merchants and service men, ranging in rank from mere soldiers to the officers from different divisions were given the task of going every day to the city and establishing friendly contacts with the inhabitants. There were enough translators in Hephaistion's division to accommodate such forays. It was not for the first time that those people, half being what everybody else knew them to be and half being unofficial spies, worked under Hephaistion's direct orders.

Archush, in the meantime, deciding that he had fooled Hephaistion as successfully as he had Arimmas before but at the same recognizing the opportunity when he saw one, decided to bribe his guest in the best traditions of the empire. Arimmas, after all, was just another appointee to the post of not exactly big significance; Hephaistion, on the other hand, was rumoured to be the second important man in the empire. If Alexander's winning streak continues, it's not such a bad thing to have his second-in-command in friends.

This is why Archush decided that the best approach to his dilemma was to stall Hephaistion's efforts by entertaining and bribing him from time to time with gifts and convincing him that crossing of Euphrates here was either impossible or needed the investment of significant funds and time. Such approach would give him a double advantage of milking Hephaistion and Alexander of as much money as possible on one hand and getting paid by Mazaeus for keeping the invaders at bay on another.

It was quite a shock for Archush to discover that not only his plans were foiled by the cleverer opponent but also that he himself had no other choice but to comply with Hephaistion's demands or else. The "else" perspective was quite unattractive. He had no idea how, but Hephaistion managed to find out about his secret dealing with Mazaeus, about all the grievances that the governors and inhabitants of nearby cities held against Thapsacus and about what was necessary to successfully bridge the Euphrates.

"Now," Hephaistion indulgently smiled at the distressed governor, "don't be so harsh on yourself. You still can benefit from dealing with me, only it's going to be on my terms, not yours. Alexander is expected to arrive here in one month and I have all the intention of having the bridges ready. Pontoon bridges, as always were constructed here over the river, not stone or timber ones as you tried to convince me."

"You have me at your mercy," Archush still tried to outwit Hephaistion, "You may decide to destroy the city and you have means of doing so. After all, I stupidly opened the gates for you, otherwise you'll be stuck here trying to take it for a long time, maybe not until Alexander arrives. But Mazaeus is still on the other bank. Yes, it's true that I had secret communications with him and his orders, or more correctly those of Darius, are to stall you here forever. Mazaeus will never allow you to finish your bridges even if you have my full cooperation. And what will happen to me and my city when you leave, looking for another way to cross Euphrates or even turn back?"

"We are not turning back, that's for sure. As for Mazaeus…. Tell me, if you secretly invite him here, does he have means to come?"

"What do you mean, secretly?"

"So that nobody knows in his army and nobody sees him here."

"It's possible to arrange, why?"

"I want to talk to him, isn't it obvious? But I suggest it's left between you and me for the time being. Now, about those pontoon bridges…"

o

Before Hephaistion left Tyre, he and the king went scrupulously over all the goals that Alexander wanted him to achieve. One of them was to probe Mazaeus' dedication to Darius' cause. Despite the fact that the satrap of Mesopotamia and Assyria was known to be in high favour with Darius (so much so that he was betrothed to Barsine, oldest of the king's daughters), there were some vague rumours that the satrap was not happy with Darius as a King of Kings. Neither Alexander nor Hephaistion were able to find out what exactly it was but they agreed it was worth exploring. Mazaeus was known to be a very capable commander and administrator and also one who cared about the people who depended on him. Alexander would love to have him on his side not only because he would gain a very efficient official and commander but also because others may follow.

After Hephaistion managed to convince Archush that the further opposition to his plans was not in the governor's best interest, the works on the construction of the bridges went at full speed. Hephaistion was even glad there were some days of rest in the beginning because everybody got really busy now. It was the middle of the summer and unrelenting sun made the work during the midday almost impossible. Everybody had to wake up when darkness still ruled over the world and get ready. At the early lights of predawn the work started at full speed. Then they had to take a long break during midday and resume the work when the heat became less intense and more bearable.

Mazaeus' troops didn't bother them in the beginning and Hephaistion was quite happy with the progress of construction. But when the span of the bridges went beyond the middle of the river, the enemy archers started to bother the workers first with insults and threads and then actually trying to maim and kill. Hephaistion decided that the time arrived to probe what Mazaeus was really up to and he asked Archush to arrange the meeting.

It took Archush several days to arrange one but at last he told Hephaistion that Mazaeus agreed to secretly meet the Macedonian general in Thapsacus. Before Hephaistion could express his surprise that the satrap agreed to such a meeting place, Archush, not too happily, announced that Mazeus asked for two hostages – one being Archush' eldest son and another Hephaistion's lieutenant. The general pondered but not too long, it was a reasonable request and he doubted that Mazaeus agreed to the meeting with the sole purpose of acquiring valuable hostages and then killing them.

Hephaistion had a good sleep the night before meeting and during the next day he went over all the information he had in his possession and all the tactics he was going to employ. He wanted to be prepared and on alert the night of the meeting. He would have at least four or five hours to negotiate with Mazaeus and he wanted to achieve the best results possible. They were to meet in one of the Archush' private chambers that had several hidden doors and was connected with concealed passages that Archush didn't want to reveal to anybody, Hephaistion and Mazaeus including, just in case. This is why Archush insisted on meeting Mazaeus in person and taking him inside the city with eyes covered by the blindfold. Hephaistion was to wait in some other room and be taken to the meeting chamber by Archush after Mazaeus was already present.

Archush did his job without any problems and after formerly introducing them to each other, discreetly left both generals to conduct their business alone. "Be assured I made sure that nobody is listening," advised Archush before disappearing behind the doors.

"He knows how to be efficient when he wants and needs to be," as a way of starting the conversation commented Hephaistion and turned to Mazaeus after the governor of Thapsacus left them alone. "How was your trip across Euphrates, general?"

"It was uneventful," Mazaeus responded openly looking his counterpart over.

"Let's hope that your return trip will be the same," wished Hephaistion. "I am glad you answered my invitation."

"I am a curious person by nature. I like to find out what Alexander may want with me."

"Alexander?"

"Of course," Mazaeus politely and rather good naturedly smiled, "you are not going to waste our time trying to convince me that your king has nothing to do with this meeting?"

"I guess I am not," Hephaistion smiled in return, "I trust your family well?"

"Quite so, thanks for asking. My wife is in Babylon and my two sons are with king Darius."

"As hostages?"

"Why would you think so?" there wasn't much surprise in Mazaeus' tone and Hephaistion realized that he had to take this question literally, the satrap wanted to know why Hephaistion made that assumption.

"Darius left you to impede our progress and he wanted to make sure that you won't betray him by going to Alexander's side."

"My older son is an officer in the Imperial guard and my youngest is an officer in Bessus' cavalry unit. They are with King Darius because of their duty and not for any other reason."

"So, Darius trusts you completely?"

"Of course," Mazaeus nodded, "he has no reasons not to."

"So, he is aware of our meeting?"

Mazeus didn't flinch. "He is not. But enough about me. What about you? You don't have to answer the trust question. Tell me about your family."

"There is not much to tell. My mother died giving birth to me and my father didn't remarried, he was too busy fighting at king Philip's side. He lost his life in one of the battles. I have no brothers or sisters. So, family matters don't weight heavily on my mind."

"And what about your Athenian relatives?"

"I'd say now you're wasting our time asking this sort of questions."

"I don't think so. Family is important. What we do and who we are is very much defined by our roots. For example, I can hazard a guess that you, on one hand, taking into account your Athenian origin, still bear a grudge against Persians for the time when Xerxes burnt the Acropolis, on the other hand, you bear a grudge against Athenians for ostracising Themistocles."

"What ostracising of Themistocles has anything to do with my family?" asked Hephaistion surprised, though not by the connection that Mazaeus did but by the fact that he knew his family's history so well.

"O, Hephaistion, give me some credit."

"Very well," conceded the general, "yes, my ancestor Cleomachus, a very wealthy Athenian citizen, was a close friend of Themistocles and went into exile with him. The last they saw of each other was at the court of Admetos, the king of Molossia. From there the strategos went first to Aeolia and, getting into contact with your king Artaxerxes, entered his services. My ancestor went to serve Macedonian king Alexander, the first of this name in the line of Macedonian kings."

"Isn't it interesting that now you, his descendant, serve the king whose name is also Alexander?"

"Alexander is a popular name so it's just a coincidence. But what did your family do during the time of the king Xerxes? Please don't tell me that they were in the close circle of the Persian governor Mardonius left by Xerxes to negotiate the peace treaty."

"THAT would be too much of a coincidence given the fact that Macedonian king Alexander acted as Mardonius representative in negotiations after the Salamis disaster. No. Actually, Xerxes had to leave Greece because of my ancestors."

"How so?" asked Hephaistion. He had no idea how and when Mazaeus found out about his family history and he didn't think that knowing satrap's roots of most two hundreds years ago can give him any advantage. But now he was sure that Mazaeus' curiosity was neither idle nor irrelevant.

"Do you know anything about Shamash-eriba revolt?"

"I am sure if you can provide me with the Greek equivalent of that name….."

Mazaeus whole-heartedly laughed and then winked at his companion, "I was told that it's impossible to catch you unprepared and I got my own proof. Your dodging skills are excellent."

"Same can be said about your Greek," noted Hephaistion.

"Is that so?" Mazaeus smiled slyly. "But back to Shamash-eriba. He was the last Babylonian king but only for a month or so. Persians, though, refer to him as a rebel."

"Persians? You are saying it as if you are not."

"As you know the King of Kings has many nations under his rule. I am a Babylonian, not a Persian. This is why King Darius, who was ready to accept me as his son-in-law, never felt comfortable enough to make me a satrap of Babylonia. Any other parts of the empire, yes, but not Babylonia."

"So, is it true that you were betrothed to Barsine, his daughter?"

"Yes, and officially, I am still betrothed, even though she is in Alexander's captivity and king Darius so magnanimously offered her hand to your king."

"Alexander treats her and all the family of Darius with a proper respect. You shouldn't think…."

Mazaeus waived his hand as if wishing to dismiss the subject, "Yes, yes, I know that, don't worry. Back to the Shamash-eriba revolt. When Xerxes learnt about it, he crossed back to Persia and send dispatches to his son-in-law Megabyxus. It was the second revolt in the last few years in Babylon, the first one was led by Bel-shimany. Unfortunately, both revolts failed. After Shamash-eriba revolt was crashed, Xerxes ordered the destruction of Babylon. Believe me when I say that the burning of Athens was nothing in comparison with what was done to Babylon. Citizens killed and sold into slavery in thousands, temples destroyed, the fortifications of the city razed to the grounds. The great temple complex of Esagila and its ziggurat torn down, the priests savagely killed and the great statue of Bel-Marduk, the main Babylonian god thrown to the ground and melted."

"Your family, I take it, suffered during this rebellion? But somebody must have survived, otherwise you won't be here having this conversation with me."

"All the males of my family were tortured and killed. Tortured not to extract any information, just out of viciousness and revenge. The women were given to the common solders for pleasure. Only one granddaughter of Iddin-Marduk, the head of our family clan, survived, purely by chance. She was pregnant and sent by her husband away from Babylon before the revolt. She gave birth to a son later, and I am a direct descendant of that child."

"Why was your family treated so severely by Xerxes?"

"My ancestor, Iddin-Marduk, was a chief priest of Marduk. Xerxes surmised, and correctly so, that he was the main instigator behind the revolts. After the first revolt of Bel-shimany, Xerxes chose to close his eyes on my ancestor's involvement. He still was wary of the power that Babylonian priests wielded and was aware of the fate that befell Sennaherib of Assyria."

"Who is that?"

"He was an Assyrian king who destroyed Babylon some three hundred fifty years ago. He was killed by his two sons who continued the family feud until their dynasty died out. It was viewed by many as the revenge of Marduk."

"I see," Hephaistion commented trying to memorize the main parts of the conversation. "But at least one member of your family survived and you made it to the top. Surely Darius doesn't consider you a danger because of what happened all those years ago."

"You don't understand!" with sudden vehemence and badly hidden annoyance exclaimed the satrap. He stood from his couch and started to pace the room nervously. "Being a Babylonian is in your blood. One can't deny his own origin. I am not a Persian, I am a Babylonian, do you understand?! My people build cities, divined the movements of the stars, developed medicine, created first laws, they taught others how to cultivate the land, grew crops, how to divert the rivers' waters to have a better use of them during the dry seasons. And what Persians did? They conquered, they destroyed, they pillaged. And then they boasted about it to the god that they invented to suit their needs, Great Ahuramazda, the giver of Light. Do you know that the first Darius build his new capital, Persepolis, on the treasures he pillaged from non-Persians? And his son Xerxes continued the tradition. The Apadana palace, the Treasury, the Hall of the Nations, all built from the fortunes stolen in Babylon and maybe a few trinkets from Athens."

"You're insulting me by calling the things that Xerxes stole from Athens trinkets."

"They were, compared to what was brought from Babylon but I didn't mean it as an insult. In any case, my apologies. I think I was carried away."

"You don't have many people to talk to about it, do you?" with certain degree of compassion asked Hephaistion.

"No," Mazaeus calmed down and went back to the couch. They remained silent for a few moments and then the satrap continued, "You may laugh at my sentiments about the past, but for many generations my family and some others, hoped to avenge the atrocities done by the Persian kings to Babylon. Yes, we had to adapt and serve their kings, we were good at it, as you can judge by the position I hold and my ancestors before me. But it doesn't mean that we forgot. I know that Alexander used the revenge card as a bargaining chip in his dealings with Athens and other city states, but for me it's real."

"It wasn't just a bargaining card…"

"May be so but his motivation is different from mine and don't try to convince me otherwise."

"Very well, I won't. So, what makes you think Alexander will be a better master to Babylon than the Achemenid kings were?"

"Egypt," was Mazaeus' short reply.

"I see," no less laconically said Hephaistion. He could understand Mazaeus' logic. Alexander treated Egyptian traditions and their gods with the same reverence and respect as he did their own Olympic deities and Greek and Macedonian values.

"So," continued Hephaistion, "you would take Alexander's side in the forthcoming battles with Darius in exchange of Alexander's treatment of Babylonian gods and sacred places the same way he treated them in Egypt?"

"No, I can't do that."

"Because your sons are still by Darius side?"

"This is not the main reason. If necessary, I can make sure they are unharmed. More important is that I have here only a small unit of cavalry. It won't affect the battle in any way. I will allow you to finish your bridge and then I join Darius' forces. I will be of better use to Alexander there."

"How so?"

"Are you aware of the system of omens worked out by Babylonian astronomers over the hundreds and hundreds of years of observation?"

"I've heard about it, in general," cautiously answered Hephaistion.

"There is no shame to acknowledge that you didn't. Any way, the astronomers recorded different celestial events and also the events that happened on earth at the same time. Over the years the similarities between what happens in heaven and on earth were written down for prophetic purposes; when one knows what's going to happen in the sky, one can predict what is going to happen on earth. The calculation shows there is going to be a lunar eclipse in the month of Ululu."

"When is that?"

"In some two month from now."

"And it means what?"

"A disaster for Persia."

"Surely, there have been other lunar eclipses in the month of Ululu. Did they always bring a disaster for Persia?"

"Not always, but often. Besides, there are other signs. For example, if Saturn is visible during the eclipse, it means that the disaster is going to be of enormous significance."

"I take it that the Saturn is going to be visible during this lunar eclipse?"

"Yes. I am going to make sure that all the omens are known to the Darius' army. Just like in the past, Babylonian gods are going to avenge all the insults and atrocities suffered from the ignorant invaders. Some may regret that the gods didn't struck the offenders immediately but for my part I am glad it's going to happen during my lifetime and I will serve as an instrument of that revenge. But you have to make sure that your king doesn't repeat the mistake of the Persian kings or the same punishment will bring down him and all his descendants."

"Alexander respects all the gods. When we defeat Darius, he will march to Babylon and restore the temples desecrated by Persian kings. I hope you won't get yourself killed during the battle."

"I'll try not to. I will be at the head of the right wing cavalry."

"And the left wing?"

"Bessus, I presume."

"With Darius in the center, obviously" ventured Hephaistion.

"Obviously," agreed Mazeus.

"Do you know where Darius plans to have the battle?"

Mazaeus smiled, "I can't make it too easy for your king. I have to leave him something to do, you know. But Darius army is huge and he'll want to take advantage of the numbers."

"Obviously," echoed Hephaistion with a smile. "What are you going to do after the battle?"

"Hard to say, too many unknowns. If I am still alive, I want to make sure that Babylon won't fall into the wrong hands. If I am dead, I'll leave that task to my sons and to you."

"I hope to see you well and alive in Babylon. Will you surrender the city to Alexander?"

"If he confirms your promise of restoring my city to its former glory, then yes."

"And in return for all that you want to become the next governor of Babylon and the satrap of the entire province?"

"I want all that because it's my rightful inheritance and there is no better man for the job, but in return for my cooperation I want something else from Alexander."

"Let me guess," Hephaistion smiled, "You want Darius' daughter Barsine as your wife?"

"I don't care about Barsine."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want Alexander to burn Persepolis to the ground!"

o

As Mazaeus promised, there were no more interruptions to the construction and by the time of Alexander's arrival, both bridges and supporting structures were done and the Persian governor and his troops gone.

"I have no problem making Mazaeus a governor of Babylon if he surrenders the city peacefully to me and recognizes me as his rightful king, but to burn Persepolis! What were you thinking promising him such a thing?" Alexander reacted to the unusual request made by Mazaeus as a part of his bargain with Hephaistion.

"True, it was rather unexpected but he pleaded his cause quite convincingly."

Alexander snorted, "I hoped you would convince him to join our cause, not the other way around. And I can't believe that your truly still hold grudge against the Athenians."

"One has nothing to do with the other. Besides, I hate ungrateful people," the general shrugged his shoulders. "Themistocles saved the Athens and the rest of Greek city states from the Persians and they ostracized him. I guess devotion runs in my family blood. We can't betray our friends. My ancestor went to voluntary exile together with the Strategos, he couldn't bear continuing to live in that ungrateful city."

"But they parted their ways soon after," reminded Alexander.

"Yes. You know very well why. Themistocles wanted to have a man he could still rely upon on the Continent. They remained in touch till the very end."

"But your grandfather Demetrius accepted Athenian invitation and returned to the city with almost all your family."

Hephaistion gave a short laugh and said affectionately, "My grandfather was a conniving scoundrel. He robbed the Athenians blind, I still can't understand why they agreed to all his demands just to have him as their citizen. He returned to Athens because of your father, he wanted to be useful to him there. He saw something in your father, who wasn't a king yet, and he did it for him, for the future glory of Macedon in which he believed. I wish he lived long enough to see his dream materialized."

"A conniving scoundrel, ah?" Alexander smiled. "This is how you talk about the man from whom you inherited all your wily negotiation skills?"

"My negotiation skills are not wily," Hephaistion pretended to pout. "Back to Persepolis, however. Is there any particular reason you're attached to this city?"

"I am not attached to it; it was, or I guess, more correctly, it still is, the capital of the Persian Empire. If I to become a King of Kings, I have to respect the fact and maybe make it my capital as well."

"I think strategically Babylon is a better place. And what happened to your plans to make Alexandria in Egypt the capital of your new empire? When we are done with conquering the East, we'll move West and that Alexandria will truly be in the middle of the known world. Besides, the new city is not tainted with any unsavory history, it wasn't a capital of anyone's empire before, it's a perfect jewel."

"First, we have to defeat Darius, conquer East and West."

"Why, my king, don't tell me you started to have any doubts in your abilities."

"I don't but hubris led many people to the shameful defeats and untimely deaths. Besides, I don't want any rumors to start circulating about the burning of Persepolis."

"What kind of rumors?"

"I don't know. Any. For example, that Persepolis was burned because Mazaeus asked me to. Or even worse, that Persepolis was burned by the Macedonian king on the whim of his Athenian lover."

"Fine, not by the Macedonian king. What if it would be known that the city was burned on a whim of Athenian lover of the Macedonian general?" asked Hephaistion with mischief.

"You have an Athenian lover?" with apprehension asked Alexander.

"I don't," Hephaistion laughed, "but Ptolemy does!"

O

_Historical note:__ Mazaeus being a Babylonian as opposed to Persian is my invention but Xerxes indeed destroyed Babylon and so much of its native population because of the two mentioned revolts. When we hear that till modern days Iranians hate Alexander for what he did to Persepolis and burning of the sacred books (Avesta) nobody mentions the destruction that Xerxes wrack on Babylon and atrocities he committed towards its population and its gods . True, pillaging of Athens mentioned often and thus Alexander is presented as avenger of the Greeks by Europeans, but I wonder, maybe not Mazaeus but there must be those of native Babylonians who wanted to see their city avenged as well. Persian Empire wasn't just one happy family. What do you think of my theory?  
And yes, Barsine, aka Stateira, the oldest of Darius daughters, was betrothed to Mazaeus. If not for his early death in 328 BC, he could have played an important role in the events after Alexander's death. And (going completely into AU) if Hephaistion outlived Alexander as well, I am sure Mazaeus would take Hephaistion's side and Chiliarch's chances would have been even stronger then usually surmised. _


End file.
